asciichartpy

What it is and what it does

asciichartpy is a Python port of the original JavaScript asciichart library that renders numerical data as line charts directly in the terminal using Unicode box-drawing characters. It takes a list of numbers (or multiple series) and outputs a formatted ASCII chart that fits within console width and height constraints.

The package handles chart scaling automatically, supports configuration options like custom height and axis offset, and can render multiple data series with different colors. It has no external dependencies beyond setuptools and works across different operating systems. It's designed for quick visualization of time-series data, metrics, or financial charts in command-line environments where graphical output isn't available.

Use it for:

• Display real-time system metrics (CPU, memory, network) in server monitoring dashboards or shell scripts.
• Plot financial data or cryptocurrency prices in terminal-based trading tools or analysis scripts.
• Visualize benchmark results or performance metrics during development and testing workflows.
• Create quick inline charts in log files or reports generated by batch processing jobs.
• Build interactive CLI tools that show trends or patterns in time-series data without external GUI dependencies.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Renders line charts as ASCII art in the console using box-drawing characters, with automatic scaling and support for multiple series and colors.

Yes. Low install friction, no external dependencies, permissive MIT license, active repository, and no known vulnerabilities make it a safe choice. Suitable for any project needing lightweight terminal-based charting. The 2020 release date is notable but the active repository status and continued downloads suggest it remains functional; verify compatibility with your target Python version before relying on it for production use.

Install

asciichartpy on PyPI

pip install asciichartpy

uv add asciichartpy

poetry add asciichartpy

Installing asciichartpy

Before you install

Low friction: pure Python wheel with only setuptools as a runtime dependency. Repository is active with recent commits and moderate popularity (176810 monthly downloads, top 15000 tier).

License in practice

MIT license (permissive) — you can use, modify, and distribute freely with minimal restrictions; attribution is appreciated but not legally required.

Quickstart

pip install asciichartpy

import asciichartpy

data = [15 * (i % 10) for i in range(120)]
print(asciichartpy.plot(data))

Verify before relying

• Whether the package works with Python versions beyond 3.6 (classifiers list 3.6 as the latest, but requires_python is empty)
• Current maintenance status beyond the last release date of 2020-08-17 (repo shows active status but no recent PyPI releases)

Package facts

Evidence: asciichartpy-1.5.25-py2.py3-none-any.whl

Keywords: asciichart, ascii, chart, charting, charts, console, terminal, draw, box-drawing, box drawing, drawing, stats, line, linear, plot, graph, ascii graphics, graphics, command line, commandline, bash, shell, sh, light

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